Ohio senator urges quick action on Cincinnati VA probe

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ohio’s Republican U.S. senator today urged quick federal action to probe “very troubling” allegations about management and veterans’ care at the Cincinnati VA hospital.

Sen. Rob Portman, of the Cincinnati area, commented on a WCPO-TV and Scripps News Washington Bureau report that nearly three dozen current and former medical center employees have expressed urgent concerns about quality of care. They blame cost-cutting and other practices they said have reduced access to care and raised safety questions.

“These are very troubling allegations,” Portman said after speaking at the Queen City Mobile Summit focused on tech startups and other small businesses. “Our veterans deserve the best health care.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs said recently it has opened an investigation into its Cincinnati hospital. It offered little detail.

Portman wants the Office of Inspector General to move quickly to “get to the bottom” of the allegations, and said he’s also reached out to the Senate committee on veterans affairs. Portman said he could also “move on it separately” with the permanent subcommittee on investigations.